Manchester-based Great Places Housing Group is celebrating after its development team built almost 400 new, affordable homes across the north of England over the last 12 months.

The total for the year ending 31 March 2016 of 386, new homes - including 171 in Greater Manchester - takes the number of dwellings built by the group, in 26 local authorities throughout the north west and Yorkshire since April 2011, to 1,727.

And with housing associations responsible for 40 per cent of all new homes built in the UK over the past 12 months, and with an estimated 240,000 new homes needed each year to meet demand, their contribution is vital.

The majority of the homes that Great Places Housing Group built have been part of the ‘Affordable Homes Programme’, which is partly funded and supported by the government’s Homes and Communities Agency.

Chief executive officer at Great Places Housing Group, Matthew Harrison, said: “We’re thrilled to have exceeded our development targets and, in doing so, made a significant contribution in the last 12 months to help reduce the housing crisis in the north of England.

“Our vision is to create great homes and great areas to live – we want to provide quality, affordable homes that cater for people of varying needs and help create successful, vibrant communities."